Collateral
by Neuroses-Isn't-Just-A-Word
Summary: Caroline joins Damon and Elena in their Stefan retrieval mission to Chicago. Things quickly go awry - two Salvatores go AWOL, there's a doppelganger on the roof, and one young, blonde vampire finds herself collateral to Klaus Mikaelson. 3x15 AU Oneshot


**This is an AU of 3x15, The End of The Affair. In this universe Carol doesn't vervain Caroline after she sleeps with Tyler and instead Caroline goes to Chicago to get her friend back and meets Klaus earlier and under much different circumstances than in cannon. This will either be a one shot or depending on the response I get, I may continue in this universe, and the alternate Klaroline development.**

* * *

The drive to Chicago had been filled with alternative bickering and silence. Not the best atmosphere but hey, this wasn't a pleasure trip.

When Caroline showed up that morning as Elena and Damon were planning their route, emergency bag clutched firmly in hand she cut off Damon's protest with a simple raising of her hand.

"He's my friend. I owe him my life. I want him back just as much as you two do."

Damon had shrugged in his typical Damon way and said, "Fine, Blondie. Just don't mess things up."

Elena had given her the biggest, most relieved smile and had Caroline been human she would have bruises from how hard her friend had hugged her.

(Tyler hadn't wanted her to go. Or at least wanted to go with her. Caroline just smiled and kissed him because she could. "Klaus is tracking down werewolves Tyler, you can't be anywhere near him.")

So eight hours later the trio was grimy and scrunched and tired and standing in Stefan's old apartment from the 20's. Plus side – there's a hidden booze closet. Down side – there's a creepy list of what are probably Stefan's victims inside said hidden booze closet. Caroline sometimes can't believe what her mentor used to be.

Elena's reading Stefan's old journals and Caroline's trying to discreetly sip from a blood bag when Damon announces: "I'm going to check out Stefan's old stomping grounds, you and Elena stay here."

"What?!" Caroline protests. Damon rolls his eyes.

"Trust me, Blondie, where I'm going you two will only get in the way. Plus, you two need to stay here and think up an actual plan."

Caroline scoffs but still turns and shoos him away. "Fine, whatever."

"When will you be back?" Elena asks softly, still caught up in the Stefan of Old's words.

"If you haven't heard from me in an hour you –" he gestures towards Caroline "- get yourself and her –" he strikes a thumb at Elena "- out of here."

"Ugh! I _can_ take care of myself, Damon!" Elena protests, riling against his paternalism.

Caroline looks between her best friend and her, well, _Damon_ (there is no right description for _Damon_) and gives him a tight nod. Said best friend rolls her eyes at both of them and collapses back into her chair.

"Just don't get into any trouble," Damon half pleads half condescends as he walks out the door.

Caroline and Elena lock eyes and scoff together. They're in an abandoned building in an empty apartment; how much trouble could the get into?

* * *

About forty-five minutes later the fates decide to answer her question when Caroline's vampire ears perk up at the sound of people walking through the lobby. Her heart races as she hears the blessed sound of Stefan's voice; but then the muscle stops cold when an amused British voice follows.

_Klaus_.

She vamp speeds to Elena, covering her mouth, ignoring the shocked look on her friend's face and whispers, "Klaus." Elena's doe eyes go even wider as Caroline removed her hand and points downward.

"Stefan?" Elena whispers both heartbroken and hopeful. The blonde vampire lets out a frustrated noise because they _so_ don't have time for this – Stefan and Klaus are already past the first flight of stairs! – and shoves the other girl towards the window with the fire escape.

"Roof," she gestures more than says. They can't go down and risk being spotted or heard. Once Elena is safely on her way up, Caroline takes one last look around the apartment and she swears – _swears _ – time slows down when she spots her bag sitting on the table on _the opposite side of the room_ the same time she hears them stop right outside the hall door.

Caroline does the only thing she can. She flashes to her bag and then into the hidden booze closet, pressing herself as far as she can go and prays that Elena magically develops self-preservation instincts and doesn't come back down for her.

The deadly pair enters the apartment.

Caroline stops breathing.

Klaus is going on about sharing secrets and murdering people but Caroline can't really concentrate over the frantic beating of her heart and how can they not _hear_ that?

And then Klaus opens the door to her hiding spot. Caroline swears she's going to faint, which is _so stupid_ because she's a _vampire_ for Christ's sake!

But it's not Klaus' face, whatever that looks like, that comes into view but Stefan's.

As absolutely elated she is to see him she can't move or make a noise and he _definitely_ doesn't look happy to see her.

"Sorry," she mouths silently. Stefan gives her his most serious vampire look.

"Elena?" he mouths back.

"Safe," Caroline assures him. And she absolutely _does not_ feel the tiniest pang of resentment that all Stefan cares about is Elena when she's obviously not here and for all he knows still in Mystic Falls and not ten feet away from Klaus like Caroline is right now.

And then he isn't ten feet away but _right behind_ her friend and mentor and all the stress has clearly driven her _batshit insane_ because the first thing she notices is how stupidly beautiful the absolutely worst person on the planet is.

Those _eyes_ of his pin her down and dissect her and a slow, easy smile sends her heart into arrest as he _purrs_: "Well, hello there, sweetheart."

Klaus remembers once seeing the girl through a borrowed pair of eyes and retrieves Katerina's commentary from the recesses of his mind.

_Caroline Forbes_: daughter of Sheriff Forbes, council member. Best friend of his doppelganger and the blasted Bennett witch. Turned with Damon Salvatore's blood, killed by Katerina, "mentored" by Stefan. Object of affection for both the doppelganger's ex and the Lockwood werewolf. Plan A for the vampire part of the sacrifice.

And now, curiously, _here_ in Stefan's old concealed storeroom. He backs away from the dually frozen forms of the girl and his once friend, knowing when it's best to let your prey relax and back out of the corner themselves. "No need to remain in that dark hole, love. You can come out now."

Caroline unfreezes at his slightly mocking tone and immediately straightens her spine. She's Caroline _Freaking_ Forbes and she threw a lamp at Damon and was tortured by crazy people and held a transforming werewolf in her arms and she will not _cower_ for this low-life even if these _are_ her final moments on this earth.

Klaus smirks as the girl, in point of fact, _marches_ out of her hiding spot, head held high like she_ owns_ the place – what a funny one she is.

She's a lovely thing, he notes, and knows he'll soon be committing her visage to paper.

Her eyes spark as she actually tries to _stare him down_ and he wonders what he'll use to capture that.

Stefan sees the way Klaus is _looking_ at her and he immediately feels nauseous.

_No_, this is _not_ happening.

It takes all of Stefan's precarious self-control not to step in between them, block Caroline from this monster's line of sight, hell, tackling Klaus to the ground and yelling for Caroline to run – consequences be damned.

And _what in the hell_ is she _doing here?_

"Caroline," he practically growls. He doesn't mean to sound so angry but really – _what in the hell was she thinking?_

"Stefan," Klaus admonishes, a sickening amusement heavily laced through his words, "don't be rude." His gaze hasn't left Caroline once. He takes one slow step forward, lacing his hands behind his back – whether the gesture is supposed to be non-threatening or to show he _knows_ she can't do a thing to him, so what's the point in putting up defenses, Caroline has no idea - and tilts his head forward in greeting. "I'm Klaus."

The young vampire scoffs and crossed her arms in return. "Yeah, I know."

"May I inquire what you were doing hiding in Stefan's old accommodations? Not lying in wait to ambush us, I hope?"

He's just straight up mocking her, Caroline knows, but she can't play into his game. She knows she's a terrible liar, especially when she's nervous and she hopes that her fear of being caught in a lie will seem more like just fear of him.

Caroline takes a deep breath and does what she does best; she talks.

"What do you _mean_ what am I doing here? First Damon is _dying _of a freaking _werewolf bite_, which is supposed to be _incurable_ by the way, and Stefan runs off to you for help then freaking _Katherine_ shows up with a vial of blood and goes 'Here, this should fix you,' and disappears and then Damon is _fine_ and then _Stefan_ disappears with _you_ and there's bodies being torn apart and Damon says it's Stefan but we don't know what's happened or if Stefan is even _alive_, you could have just _murdered_ him for all we know so freaking sue us if we were worried and then Damon tracked you to Chicago and he was just going to run off but Stefan's my friend too and Damon is stupid and reckless so now _I'm_ here because Damon _left _me here –"

Klaus holds up a hand to stop her, his stupid, stupid amused expression still plastered on his stupid, stupid face. "As entertaining as your rendition of events is, I think I get the gist."

Stefan huffs, trying to direct Klaus' attention away from Caroline. "Damon's just being stubborn."

"Well perhaps if Damon is having trouble letting go, I should have a chat with him myself."

The split second of sheer terror in Caroline's eyes tells Stefan all he needs to know.

Elena is _here_. She's _with_ Damon.

There is no way he can let Klaus go anywhere near them. He'd kill them both immediately.

Caroline sees the understanding in Stefan's eyes. Only it's worse than he knows. Elena is on the freaking _roof_ after all.

"No," Stefan says, breaking the tense silence. "I'll go. You want me to prove that I'm committed to this? Let me prove it to you."

There's a very long couple seconds of silence as Klaus thinks it over, a slight grin on his face – enjoying the anxiety around him.

"Very well, you may go tie up loose ends with your brother." Stefan nods and turns to leave. This prompts Caroline to break out of her statue-like stance and start moving after him.

Klaus is suddenly beside her, hand wrapped around her upper arm. He's not hurting her, in fact, there's barely any pressure, but still, she knows she couldn't break his hold even with every ounce of her enhanced strength.

"You didn't let me finish. You may go tie up loose ends with your brother _if_ Caroline joins me for a drink." Klaus watches with sadistic amusement as horror passes over Stefan's face thinking he meant the kind of drink he made _Stefan_ join him for. He lets that idea swim around in his former friend's head for a few more moments before speaking. "No, Stefan, just the ordinary kind of drink, down at Gloria's."

Stefan's shoulders loosen just a fraction before tensing back up.

_Honestly_. Klaus can't _wait_ to return Stefan's memories to him – let this stiff shell fall away and have his gloriously bloody friend reemerge.

There isn't a cell in Stefan's body that wants to leave Caroline alone with Klaus. Hell, there isn't a part of him that wants Klaus to have ever even laid _eyes_ on his closest friend.

But maybe this is his punishment, having to choose between going to his brother and the woman he loves to warn them away, to protect them; and saving his best friend, this girl to whom he _swore_ he would never let anything happen to. He'd have to abandon someone. Maybe this was karma for all the death and pain he has wreaked in these last months.

He also knows that if he hesitates any longer Klaus will snap both their necks and track down Damon – and _Elena_ – himself.

When his eyes meet Caroline's she knows what he's going to do. There's a tiny, infitismal part of her that she keeps buried deep, deep down that wants him to tell Klaus to go screw himself, to not leave her alone with this monster, to pick _her._ But she knows that's not going to happen. And she gets it. She does.

"Stefan, go," she says first. She's taking the decision out of his hands. No need to make this harder on him. Her friend opens his mouth to say something but she cuts him off. "Seriously, _go._"

She sees Klaus's face split into a full grin in her peripheries.

"Well, you heard her. _Go._"

Stefan gives her an impossible look – one that Caroline doesn't care to decipher right now. He turns to disappear out the door when Klaus' voice stops him.

"Oh, and Stefan? Be back before last call." He doesn't say _what_ will happen if Stefan fails, but they can guess. The vampire in question just gives a stiff nod and vanishes in a whoosh of air.

Several seconds pass before Klaus turns his full attention to her.

"So, love, how about that drink?"

* * *

To say Elena is freaking out is to say that the Grand Canyon is an old hole in the ground.

_Why_ hadn't Caroline followed her?! Did that mean she was still in the apartment?

Elena presses her hand over her speeding heart, trying to draw a normal breath. That means she's with Stefan and _Klaus_ right now! Oh God, what if they're _hurting her_? What if she's _dead?_!

She pulls herself together just enough to drag herself to the edge of the roof, cursing her human ears and straining to catch _anything_ that might tell her what's going on inside that apartment.

Nothing.

Just when she's about to say 'fuck it' and climb back down the fire escape to surrender herself, if only it would mean Caroline could go free, she spots a very familiar head of hair rushing down the side walk below.

_Stefan_.

But there's no sign of Klaus or Caroline.

Except then there is.

Two gilded heads appear on the ground below, heading in the opposite direction Stefan went.

Elena watches as they disappear around the corner, her body ice cold.

_He_ _has her_.

* * *

They don't really talk as Klaus leads her away from the building, which is just fine for Caroline because she honestly cannot think of one thing to say. Which is kind of a first.

The hybrid has his hand lightly resting on the small of her back – too low to be anything but intimate, but still high enough to be _gentlemanly_ -, the heat from it far outweighing the Chicago summer sun. To others it's a signal of possession; to Caroline it's a warning.

_You're not going anywhere; don't even try_.

Finally they get to their destination. Klaus gives her one of his stupid smug grins and opens the door for her. "Welcome to Gloria's, love," gesturing inside.

Caroline's been pointedly _not_ looking at him on the way over and she's not about to break pattern now as she strides past him.

It's a dive bar, old and with a lot of character, and under any other circumstances Caroline would have loved it. It's still early, the nightlife just starting, but it's already pretty busy.

"This was my favorite place to be, last time I was in Chicago," Klaus continues, guiding her through the room, "though it was a little different back then," a clear smirk in his voice. "Ah, Gloria," he cheerfully greets the woman behind the bar. "A bottle of single malt and two glasses for me and my guest."

Gloria raises an eyebrow at Caroline, looking her up and down. The vampire resists the urge to squirm under the scrutiny. She's in road trip clothes – old, worn shorts and a comfy cotton t-shirt, now rather rumpled – and her hair is probably a mess of tangles. _What?_ It's not like you wear _nice_ things when you're going to be trapped in a car for hours on end.

The witch tilts her head, taking in the newcomer. The vampire is young, _very young_, probably not even a year since she was turned. Gloria had seen blonde curls and pale skin out of the corner of her eye and for a split second thought it was Rebecca. No such luck. Though, she's a pretty thing, that's for sure, and if Klaus has her in his sights, she's in for a world of trouble.

"Take a seat, sweetheart." Klaus nods his head towards a small, two-person table near the back

The girl glares at him, but follows orders. The witch shakes her head. "A guest, huh?" Gloria asks, putting the bottle and glasses on the bar top and nodding towards the girl sulking in the corner. The witch smirks humorously at Klaus. "She doesn't even look _legal_. Shame on you."

The Original Hybrid just grins, complete with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows, and saunters over to his chosen table with the whiskey and glasses.

* * *

Elena's pacing frantically in Stefan's old apartment. Where the hell was Damon? She had called him over an hour ago!

Where the hell was Klaus taking Caroline? Was she ok? Caroline didn't drink vervain – Klaus could be making her do _anything_ right now!

And where did Stefan go? Did he find Damon? Is that why Damon didn't answer his phone?

Her thoughts were interrupted by footsteps in the hallway. Elena grabbed a vervain dart and hid behind a wall as if either of those things would be of any use against a thousand year old hybrid.

But instead it was the elder Salvatore brother that stepped through the threshold.

"Damn it, Damon, I called you over an hour ago! What happened? Did you find Stefan? And what about Caroline!"

"Whoa, slow down, look, I had an hour to process what a spectacularly stupid idea it was to leave you and Blondie alone, accept it and move on."

Damon held his hand out, gesturing towards the doppelganger's phone.

"Here, give me that," Damon said, snatching Elena's phone even before she could reply. He scrolled through the call history for a second before landing on an unknown number. He hit send. "Hello brother," Damon could hear his younger sibling's brooding oozing from the other side of the line. "Now before you say anything I just want you to know that Elena and I are well aware that your bestie is being held hostage at dear old Gloria's. So meet us around back in the next thirty minutes or I'm sure Elena will find a way to rush in there and stupidly sacrifice herself for Blondie-bear. Got it? Good." Then in a very satisfying move, hit the end call button. "There," he said to the younger brunette, "problem solved. Now," he thrust a shopping bag at her, "go changed, you're all road trippy and gross."

"Wait, how do you know where they are?"

Damon shrugged. "Gloria's an old witch friend of Klaus', he needs something from her, my guess is he's not going to stray too far. Now _go change,_ we don't have a an over abundance of time."

Elena just nodded, and headed into the bathroom, praying that Klaus was very, _very_, disinterested in her oldest friend.

* * *

"So Caroline," Klaus started, filling the glasses with amber liquid, "tell me, exactly how were you planning on absconding with Stefan back to Mystic Falls?

Caroline has no version of her plan that didn't involve the words 'Elena' and 'epic love' so she keeps her mouth firmly shut and fixes him with her best glower.

Klaus, surprise, surprise, is not deterred. "Come now, love, don't be shy, it doesn't suit you."

The younger vampire scoffed. "Excuse me? You have no idea what suits me and what doesn't."

This only made the Hybrid smirk triumphantly – _and_ _seriously? Doesn't he have any other facial expressions? _ - Caroline realizing too late that she had played right into his hands. She wanted to smack herself. _C'mon Forbes, you're better than this!_

"No really, I'm curious to hear your pitch." The Original slid one filled tumbler towards her. "Are you not aware that Stefan has indentured himself in exchange for the life of his brother? So tell me, sweetheart, exactly how did you expect that conversation to end?"

Caroline bristled and squared her shoulders, preparing to lay a classic Forbes smack down. "First of all, I'm not your sweetheart or love or anything so you can stop with all of _that_. Second of all, what I would have said to my _friend_ is none of _your_ business but it probably would have included what an unbearable ass you are." The blonde reached out for the tumbler, slammed the contents down her throat, and slid it empty back towards him.

Klaus could not be more pleased with his choice of collateral; this girl was supremely entertaining. He let out a condescending sigh, like he was dealing with a very small, petulant child. "That whiskey is older than you, _love_," emphasizing the pet name just to get her cheeks to flush that fetching red color, "it's meant to be _savored_."

Caroline rolled her eyes. _Freaking ancient alpha male snob_.

Klaus filled her tumbler once more and slid it back to the blonde baby vampire. "Hmmm…" The Hybrid started, taking a sip of his own drink. "A vervain dart to the neck perhaps? Drag him home and lock him up? Or would you have tried to reason with him, appeal to his humanity and remind him of the 'good' Stefan? Played the angel on his shoulder to my devil?" He waited for a response but only received silence, clearly catching onto the game. Klaus gave a casual shrug. "I suppose it doesn't _really_ matter. Even if you were successful, I would have simply hunted you all down, your friend owes me a debt, after all."

Caroline let out a frustrated huff, hating the gaping hole in their plan. "Why do you even need Stefan anyways?" she snapped, raising her glass to her lips, hoping the burn of the alcohol would help her swallow her bubbling emotions.

"Stefan possesses certain… qualities I look for in a companion. I'm always looking to increase my numbers if you're interested."

"I thought you were more interested in collecting werewolves? I'm just a vampire."

"Mmmm," Klaus lets his eyes slowly drag down the smooth line of her throat, a yellow glint talking over the blue of his irises. "Yes you are."

Caroline immediately tenses but forces her face into what she hopes is a menacing expression instead of a terrified one. She even goes as far as to jab a finger in his direction. "If you even _think_ of biting me I'll shove wolfs bane so far down your throat you'll be coughing up blood for a month!"

Klaus puts his hands up in surrender but his eyes – just blue now, _thank God_ – are dancing with laughter, telling her exactly what he thinks of her threat. "Wouldn't _dream_ of it, love."

Caroline scoffs and crossed her arms, sulking back against her chair, as far away from him as she'll bet he'll let her go. Ok, so she wasn't exactly being mature here, but hey, _whatever_, it's not like she actually cares what this slime-ball thinks.

Klaus leans forward over the table. "Oh come now, love, don't be upset. I was only having a little fun." She guesses he was trying to make his face look contrite but the twitching of his stupid mouth and raised eyebrows make him look more impish than anything. And it is _so_ wrong that he should look anything other than totally evil.

"Don't be upset? _Seriously?_ I'm not your date, I'm your hostage, so stop trying to be cute," she spits at him.

Klaus only shrugs, as if to say: 'Well, I tried.' and downs the rest of his glass before refilling it. "That doesn't mean we can't be civilized, now does it?"

Caroline just continues to sulk silently at him. _Well_, he thinks, _that won't do._

"You're quite a young vampire, are you not? Only a few months since you were turned?"

Caroline gives him her best 'Duh' face and gulps more of the drink in front of her. He should know when she was turned, it was for _his_ sacrifice after all.

"And tell me, what were your plans before? College, marriage, growing old and wrinkled?

Caroline scoffs – but the Hybrid picks up on the undercurrent of sadness in her sarcasm.

"I'm pretty sure those choices were taken away from me when Katherine smothered me with a pillow."

Klaus' whole face twitches. "Ah, Katerina." Caroline tries not to notice the attractive way his voice rolls over that name. "When I recapture her I can tack on a few more years of torment on your behalf, if you'd like."

Caroline literally has no idea what to do with that. It's the most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said to her. _Seriously? _Who just _says_ stuff like that?

Totally psychotic hybrids, apparently.

"Ummmmm…. No thank you."

Klaus shrugs. "Oh well, if you ever change your mind…" He lets the sentence trail off as if he actually expects for there to be future contact between them.

No.

_Never_.

Just – _NO._

But he's just staring at her, not blinking, totally and utterly confident that they _will_ meet again; and it makes something insider her shiver.

The younger vampire downs the rest of the glass.

* * *

"Hello, brother."

It had been over three months since Damon had heard Stefan's voice – not even remotely close to their record – but he had never been happier to hear it. "Stefan." His younger brother's body is tense – no surprise there – but there is a sort of feral energy radiating off of him, reminding Damon that Stefan may not be full ripper yet, but that doesn't mean he should let his guard down.

"What in the hell were you _thinking_, Damon?"

"Oh I don't know, rescuing my baby bro from the evil clutches of psycho hybrid," Damon turned with his usual amount of flare to gesture towards the figure stepping out from the shadows, "reuniting long lost loves."

"Stefan," Elena breathed. She couldn't believe it, he didn't even seem _real - _"Stefan," Elena said more firmly, "We came to bring you home –" the brunette's words were cut off by the sound of Stefan's caustic laughter.

Stefan dragged his hand down his face – _god, he needed a fucking __**drink**_ – "Well you've wasted your time, Elena, I'm not coming home."

"Stef-" Damon started.

"_Don't_," the younger Salvatore cut him off, "you're the reason I'm even _here_." Stefan turned back to face his girl- _ex_-girlfriend. "I'm not coming home, because I don't _want_ to come home." He took a menacing step forward – ignoring his brother's movements behind him. "This is _over_. We are _over_. I don't _want_ you anymore."

_Numb it out, numb it out_, Stefan chanted to himself. It was the only way he was going to get through this. The only way he was going to be able to step away from the love of his life and his brother and do what needed to be done. _Elena is still in danger_. _Damon is still in danger. _

_Fuck, Caroline is still in danger._

"Now," he said cuttingly, "in case you've both forgotten, I have to get back in there, " he gestured towards Gloria's, "or Klaus is going to tear Caroline's head off."

The vampire turned and walked away – ripping out three hearts with the sound of boots on gravel.

* * *

The pair in the back of Gloria's had finished over half the bottle – something Caroline hadn't even noticed, though Klaus was a bit more calculating – drinking at half the rate of his companion.

"Do you drink directly from the source or are you like Stefan, abstaining and barely living off of what ever woodland creatures you can find?"

Caroline lifts her chin, "Neither, I drink from blood bags, unlike Stefan human blood doesn't turn me into a crazy person."

Klaus clucks his tongue. "Shame then, that you lower yourself to packaged meals when you could do so much better." Klaus shifts in his chair, leaning forward over the small table. "You could have anyone in here, Caroline." His voice is soft and low; Caroline unthinkingly leans in closer to him. "You see that young man in blue by the pool tables? He keeps staring at your legs, you wouldn't even have to compel him to follow you; it would be _so easy_." Klaus' eyes are locked on her. He sees her dilated pupils, the slight flush of her luminous skin – she _likes_ what he's describing, and the Hybrid's skin is prickling with heat at the revelation. In Klaus' mind it's already happened, Caroline has the boy wrapped around her finger, drawing him out into the alleyway, teeth sunk into the flesh of his throat, the sounds of utter satisfaction escaping her mouth. His eyes flicker down to her soft, pink lips, so prettily parted for him – but that was a mistake. When he broke eye contact he broke the spell, the moment was gone. Caroline immediately moves away from him and is back to glaring at him like he's something nasty she found on the bottom of her shoe.

"I'm not going to join your merry band of serial killers so you can stop trying to convince me how great drinking from the vein is. I already know how great drinking from the vein is."

Klaus stills, only his eyebrows rise. He hadn't been expecting that. It had been such a long time since someone surprised him as she did. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I just choose not to."

Klaus sits back, eyes raking over her. "My, you have extraordinary control for someone so young."

Caroline shrugs, trying to seem unengaged as possible.

"At bit ironic, considering your teacher."

The blonde girl glared but didn't react to his goading. Instead she took him by surprise – _again_.

"Why is making more hybrids so important to you?"

It was such a rare thing, having someone so unabashedly look him in the eye and try to pry into him – no fear, no deception – just the brute force of one formidable personality converging on another.

_Worthy_, the alcohol-laced tendrils of his subconscious whispered.

Klaus battered that voice away, the effect of those cornflower eyes and utterly unexpected question making him feel – for a moment – like the power balance shifted in her favor, even if it only took place in the dark, twisted space of his mind.

Caroline saw something like a shadow cross over him, and she saw _inside_ - a deep, frozen chasm howling at her – "You're… lonely?"

If the shift in power had been imaginary before, it certainly was real now, and had left him too vulnerable, too thrown by her perceptiveness, – _impulsive, __**boy**_ – so with the grace of a millennia of practice, Klaus rolled the veil back down.

He became languid in his chair, leaning forward, his limbs stretching across the tabletop to invade the no-man's land between them, a smirk on his lips, a teasing twitch of his eyebrow – "If that's how you want to see it, love." The hybrid glanced at the bottle for a distraction – almost all gone - _what a shame_.

The hybrid turned back to his companion who's eyes were still locked on him – not fazed at all by his performance – her hand, _so close_ to his, twitched, as if she just fought off the impulse to touch him.

He fleetingly considers keeping her, just leaning a little further over the table and compelling her to remain by his side, lovely labyrinth that she is; but just as quickly as he conjured the notion he dismisses it. Stefan was difficult enough to wrangle in his pre-ripper state – Klaus wasn't about to provide him with reinforcements.

The almost-ripper in question spots them the second he sets foot in the bar. It's clear that neither of them is sober – Caroline a fair amount less than Klaus. The Hybrid is leaning forward and Caroline is not exactly recoiling.

The worst part – the part that makes his stomach twist – is they are so obviously in their own little bubble, oblivious to the rest of the world. The air between them may not be romantic, but it's definitely heavy with something. And it makes Stefan's hair stand on end.

He makes his way over to the table at a speed that probably isn't human and notes with a continuing sinking feeling Klaus' hand on the table, fingertips stretched out about a centimeter away from Caroline's.

"Stefan," Klaus greets, leaning back in his chair, hand sliding away to grip the glass barely filled with whiskey.

Caroline whips around a little too fast, her head feeling fuzzy and heavy – noticing for the first time the effect the alcohol was having on her. The room felt significantly cooler now that she's turned away from the wolf masquerading as her conversational partner. The young vampire takes in what feels like her first real breath of oxygen since Klaus first appeared in that doorway in Stefan's old apartment and stares dumbly up at her friend – one that isn't even looking at her but at Klaus –

"Stefan," she says softly. "You're back."

There's so much she wants to say, wants to ask, but can't because of the man sitting at the other side of the table.

"Yes, I'm back. You're free to go," he says more like a command, and not one directed at her, he's still glaring at Klaus after all.

The hybrid in question is still looking as nonchalant as ever, meeting Stefan's glare with false innocence.

"But-" the blonde girl starts.

"Caroline," Stefan almost pleads, finally looking down at her.

For the first time since Caroline arrived in Chicago, Stefan actually _sounds_ like Stefan and is _looking_ at her like Stefan and so she relents and stands from her chair. Though maybe she doesn't relent completely because she throws her arms around him as tight as she can manage and whispers – not caring about their audience, who she can _feel_ staring at her – "Please stay safe and come back to us."

Stefan doesn't react, doesn't hug her back – and it's made all the more difficult not to give in to her comforting embrace after what he just had to endure outside, but he's more than aware of Klaus watching their exchange silently – and not exactly _happily –_ and _oh god_, exactly how fixated is the hybrid on his friend – so he steps out of her arms, giving her a hopefully hard, neutral look and backs away.

Caroline isn't stupid, she knows his non-reaction was necessary, but that doesn't mean she wasn't going to throw as much comfort and support as she could while he was still in front of her.

Now for Klaus.

The way she straightened her back and tensed her shoulders, like a soldier readying for inspection, before turning back to face him, amused Klaus enough that it cut through the irritation at having to witness her open affection towards the ripper.

He had an idea in mind for their farewell, one that would make her flush and glare at him and keep him on her mind for a long time after they were parted. Klaus lazily rounded the table, like they were all just old friends, and this was any old night on the town, and they had all the time in the world, before halting in front of his lovely new acquaintance.

Caroline is immediately suspicious at his movements and not _at all_ flustered by his proximity. _What in the hell is he doing now?_

"Until next time, Caroline. " The hybrid took her hand and chastely kissed the back, which Caroline thought was surprisingly gentlemanly, but as he stepped back to make room for her to pass, his tongue darted out to run over his lips, chasing the impression of her skin.

Never.

Breaking.

Eye.

Contact.

Once.

Caroline's undead heart stops, then goes into overdrive.

_Damn him._

By the sharp uptick of his mouth, she knows he heard it.

_Damn him a thousand times._

Caroline lifts her chin in the air, flips her hair over he shoulder and walks out of the bar without looking back.

Because she's Caroline _Freaking_ Forbes and that's how it's _done._

* * *

She's once again in the back seat of Damon's car, staring at out at the interstate, alternatively lit by the overhead lamps and plunged into darkness by their absence. There is no bickering this time. Just Elena's heavy, broken heart and Damon's suffocating disappointment and guilt.

Caroline is lost in her own world, replaying her time with Klaus over and over. His charm, his malice, his surprising loneliness. And she in _no way_ feels _sympathy_ for the guy. He was still the monster that violently and bitterly ruined everybody's lives.

But for some indefinable reason her mind kept sticking to the fact he actually _offered_ to pay Katherine back for Caroline's murder; which was more compensation for the life that was ripped away from her than anyone else had ever given. He was the only person to see her vampirism as a positive thing, not just a problem to be solved, something to be pushed to the back of the closet and forgot about.

Go figure.

Though, she was definitely _not_ thinking of his goodbye.

* * *

Back in Chicago Klaus finishes his tale of best friends and chosen brothers and in a warehouse filled with the scent of a fresh kill the words "now you remember" echo off the walls.


End file.
